How centrifugal pumps can be made more reliable….?

If you want to go purchase or investment in a centrifugal pump, you would expect it to trouble free functioning and maintain long time duration. Applying necessary improvements in varied areas such efficiency, reliability and containment helps in making these units more reliable. In addition to this, there are refinements comprising of remote telemetry evaluation, modern pump controls, with mechanical seal/Gland packing designs and variable speed drives. When these improvements are rightly followed, it generates potential for the reliable functioning.

However, this can only be achieved by following 3 basic steps right selection, installation and maintenance.

1.      Selection of Pump:   Seals, operating conditions and bearings are some of the key elements that prove beneficial in the selection of the pumps. It is imperative that centrifugal pumps should function at or near the set head (In meter) & flow rate (In m3/hour). The bearings of the pump is responsible for holding the rotating parts in their apt position and sized to bear the thrust and radial loads which is produced by the impeller.

There is one design that makes use of disks with or without radial vanes that help in the creation of frictional energy for the displacement of the fluid. Pressure gets balanced amid the disks and the bearings get to bear minimum load.

2.     Installation:  here are two main elements when it comes to the installation of centrifugal pumps (Both Alignment & Foundation). It has to be ensured that the anchor bolts are set in the concrete foundation in the correct fashion. The base of the foundation has to be chipped in order to permit the grout to follow. Base plates should be very clean, placed in its ideal place and should be leveled prior to the pouring of the grout.

Grout is responsible for bonding the base plate with the foundation and assists in the transmission of moments generated via driver, piping and pump to the foundation. Ensure that the weight of the foundation is three times the pump, pump and the coupling.

3.   Maintenance: A log on pump functioning can prove beneficial in identifying probable critical issues. A log like this comprise of changes in the lubrication, operation durations, maintenance procedures and packing alterations. It will prove beneficial for the periodic readings of flow, power input, suction and discharge pressure, noise levels, bearing temperature and fluid.

Wear rings offer right amount of prevention for the high pressured fluid to get leaked internally. In addition to this, it also offers a mean for minimizing hydraulic thrust of the pump. Because they make a difference in the performance of the pump, elevated clearance can elevate the power requirements by 5-7%.